Draw-bar attachment for locomotives.



No. 700,982. Patented May 27, I902.

W. F. RICHARDS.

I DRAW BAR ATTACHMENT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

(Applicaticn filed Nov. 21 1901.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented May 27, I902. W. F. RICHARDS.

DRAW BAR ATTACHMENT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed Nov. 21, 1901.)

3 Sheets-$heat 2,

(No Model.)

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No. 700,982. Patented May 27, I902.

W. F. RICHARDS.

DRAW BAR ATTACHMENT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

(Application filed Nov. 21, 1901.)

3 Shaets$heet 3.

(No Model.)

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Wnappep UNirhn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD F. RICHARDS, OF BUFFALO, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

DRAW-BAR ATTACHMENT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters PatentNo. 700,982, dated May 27, 1 902.

Application filed November 21, 1901. Serial No. 83,176- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLARD F. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New which yieldingly retain the draw-bar in its central position and permit the same to swing laterally to either side of said central position to accommodate itself to the position of the locomotive and allow of couplings on curves. In such draw-bar attachments of which I am aware coiled springs are usually arranged at the opposite sides of the draw-bar, and the lateral movement of the draw-bar is determined by the length of the spring or springs at each side thereof, thus requiring unusually long springs where a considerable lateral movement of the draw-bar is necessary or desired.

The main object of the invention is to provide a draw-bar attachment especially designed for locomotive pilots in which the draw-bar is permitted a greater lateral movement than heretofore without necessitating the employment of springs of increased length.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure 1 is a longitudinal Vertical sectional elevation of a locomotive pilot and draw-bar attachment, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view. of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line at 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view on line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a front elevation, partly broken, of the pilot and draw-bar attachments, showing the draw-bar in its side position. Fig. 7 is a plan view thereof, showiEng the draw-bar in the position indicated in Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a locomotive-pilot, and 'B the locomotive end sill which carries the pilot.

0 represents the coupler, and O the drawbar or stem therefor, which is arranged beneath the end sill and extends forwardly and rearwardly thereof, being pivoted at its rear end in any suitable manner to a bracket D, secured to the rear face of the end sill, so as to permit the forward end of the draw-bar to have an extended swing or movement.

E indicates a combined support and guidebox for the forward end of the draw-bar. This box is preferably in the form of a casting having a top horizontal transverse member e and lower separated front and rear guideways or flanges e. The guide-box is supported in any approved manner from the pilot, for which purpose it is shown as being provided with a centrally-disposed depending stem or post F, which is located between and secured to separated plates or bars f, rising from the lower front end of the pilot and se cured at their upper ends to the lower horizontal side of a substantially U-shaped bracket f, the upper ends of the sides or legs of which are secured to the front face of the pilot-beam f Lateral stays or beams G, secured to the ends of the box, as at g, and to opposite or outer ends of the pilot-beam, add to the rigidity of. the attachment. The forward end of the draw-bar projects forwardly through said U-shaped bracket f and is supported and guided between the upper transverse member e and the lower guideways e of the box and rests on the latter.

H H represent oppositely-arranged springpockets, each of which is provided with front and rear horizontal flanges or ribs 71., which engage on the guides e of the guide-box and are thereby guided and permitted to slide laterally. Each spring-pocket is provided with an upwardly-extending lug or portion 7t, constituting an abutment, the abutments of the opposite spring-pockets being arranged on opposite sides of the draw-bar and engaged by the latter. The upper portion of the depending post F is provided with oppobar is arrested.

site depressions or recesses j for receiving the inner ends of the spring-pockets in order to permit them to come near together.

represents a stop lug or projection arranged centrally of the post between said depressionsj for the purpose of limiting the inward movement of the spring-pockets.

L L represent oppositely-arranged coiled springs, each having its inner end seated in the socket 71 of the spring-pockets, and M represents a rod or bar, which passes through alined openings in the sockets 7L2 of the spring-pockets and in the abutment 7c and also through the oppositely-arranged coiled springs L L. Each end of the rod or bar M is provided with a nut or the like, which engages the outer end of the adjacent coiled spring and confinesthe same between said nut or the like and its spring-pocket.

When the draw-bar is swung to one side of its central position-for instance, to the right, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7it engages the abutment on the right-hand spring-pocket and shoves the latter and its spring along in its guideways e. The other spring-pocket is held from movement to the right by reason of its engagement with the stop 70; but the rod or bar M is forced by the right-hand spring together with the pocket, and inasmuch as this movement of the rod is opposed by the left-hand spring both springs are compressed to their limit before the movement of the right-hand spring-pocket and the draw- It will thus be seen that the draw-bar can move from the central portion a distance substantially twice as great as would be permitted if the springs were mounted in a fixed position. The draw-bar can of course move to the other side of the central position an equal distance, as will be obvious. I claim as my invention 1. Thecornbinationwithalocomotive-pilot, of a guide-box supported by said pilot, a drawbar mounted to move laterally and having its forward end guided by said box, spring-pockets slidably mounted on said box, oppositelyarranged springs carried by said pockets, a stop between said pockets, and a rod or bar connected at its opposite ends to the outer ends of said springs and movable relative to said spring-pockets substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a locomotive-pilot, and a draw-bar mounted to swing laterally, of a guide and supporting box for the forward end of said draw-bar attached to said pilot, guides on said box, oppositely arranged spring pockets slidably mounted in said guides, an abutment or stop between said spring pockets, oppositely arranged coiled springs seated in sockets in the outer sides of said spring pockets, a rod or bar passing through said coiled springs and through openings in said spring-pockets, and stops or abutments at the opposite ends of said rod or bar engaging the outer ends of said coiled springs, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a locomotive-pilot and a draw-bar mounted to swing laterally, of a guide and supporting box secured to said pilot and having separated guides and a centrally-disposed depending post or standard secured to the pilot, spring-pockets slidably mounted in said guides and having upwardlyprojecting abutments arranged on opposite sides of said draw-bar and in their outer sides with sockets, a stop or abutment on said depending post between said spring-pockets, oppositely arranged coiled springs having their inner ends seated in said sockets, and a rod or bar passing through openings in said spring pockets and through said coiled springs, and stops or abutments at the oppo site ends of said rod or bar engaging the outer ends of said coiled springs, substantially as set forth.

4E. The combination with a locomotive-pilot, and a draw-bar mounted thereon to move laterally, of a guide-box for said draw-bar having a depending post, plates or bars rising from the lower part of said pilot to which said post is secured, a substantially U -shaped bracket arranged in rear of said guide-box and secured at its upper end to the upper part of said pilot and at its lower end to said plates or bars, said draw-bar passing between the arms of said bracket and through said guide-box, substantially as set forth.

fitness my hand this 30th day of October,

WILLARD F. RICHARDS.

W'itnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, CLAUDIA M. BENTLEY. 

